We get calls like this almost every week: “Hey, I just got a new front door installed and it didn’t come with a lock — can you help?” Short answer: absolutely. Longer answer: there’s a bit more to think about than you might expect. Here are the questions we hear most from North Hollywood homeowners dealing with this exact situation.
Do New Doors Come With Locks Already Installed?
Sometimes, but usually no. If you ordered a pre-hung door from Home Depot on Laurel Canyon or the Lowe’s off Burbank Blvd, it likely came with pre-drilled holes but no hardware. Custom doors from local shops — like some of the woodworking places over in the NoHo Arts District — almost never include locks. The door gets hung, and then you need a locksmith to handle the rest.
Even when a door does ship with a basic knob or handle, it’s usually the cheapest builder-grade hardware. Most of our customers in the Valley Village and North Hollywood neighborhoods swap those out immediately for something more secure.
What Kind of Lock Should I Put on a New Exterior Door?
For any exterior door — front, back, side entry — we always recommend a deadbolt paired with a handle set. A knob lock alone is not enough. Someone can kick through a knob lock in seconds. A Grade 2 deadbolt is the sweet spot for most residential doors in North Hollywood.
If you want to go keyless, brands like Schlage and Kwikset make solid smart locks that fit standard door preps. We install a lot of Schlage Encode Plus locks in the newer condos and townhomes along Lankershim Blvd and Magnolia. They work with Apple HomeKit, which is a big selling point for our tech-savvy NoHo clients.
For a straightforward recommendation: Schlage B60N deadbolt plus a matching handleset. Reliable, affordable, and we can key it to match your other doors.
How Much Does Lock Installation Cost on a New Door in North Hollywood?
Here’s a realistic breakdown of what we typically charge:
- Standard deadbolt + knob installation (hardware included): $120–$180
- Smart lock installation (you provide the lock): $85–$130 for labor
- Smart lock installation (we supply the lock): $180–$320 depending on brand
- Fresh bore (no pre-drilled holes): Add $40–$75 per hole
If your new door already has the standard 2-1/8″ face bore and 1″ edge bore drilled, installation goes fast. If we need to drill from scratch — common with custom or solid-core doors — that adds time and cost. We’re always upfront about pricing before we start any work. Check out our full page for more details.
Can I Install a Lock Myself, or Do I Really Need a Locksmith?
Honestly? If the holes are pre-drilled and you’re handy with a screwdriver, a basic knob swap is doable. YouTube has plenty of tutorials. But here’s where people run into trouble:
- The door is slightly warped or the frame isn’t perfectly aligned (very common in older North Hollywood homes, especially near Chandler Blvd and the houses east of Colfax)
- The strike plate doesn’t line up, and now your deadbolt won’t latch
- You need to drill a fresh hole and don’t own a hole saw
- The smart lock needs programming and integration with your existing setup
A bad installation means a lock that doesn’t fully engage, and that’s a security problem. We’ve done callbacks to fix DIY jobs where the deadbolt only throws halfway — looks locked, but a firm push opens it right up. That’s worse than no lock at all because you think you’re secure. A professional lock installation in North Hollywood takes about 20–40 minutes and gives you peace of mind.
How Quickly Can You Come Out for a New Door Lock Install?
We cover all of North Hollywood — from the residential streets around North Hollywood Park down to the apartments near NoHo West and everywhere between Vineland and Whitsett. Most days we can be at your door within 30–60 minutes.
If it’s not urgent, you can also book a specific time window. A lot of our customers coordinate with their contractor — the door goes in the morning, we show up in the afternoon for the lock. Easy.
And yes, we work nights and weekends. If your contractor finished late on a Friday and you don’t want to leave a new door unlocked overnight, call us. We’ve handled plenty of those late-night installs. We also help with house lockout in north hollywood situations if you ever find yourself on the wrong side of that new lock.
Should I Get My New Lock Rekeyed or Keyed to Match My Other Doors?
Great question, and one most people forget about. If your new lock comes with its own keys, you now have a separate key for that door. Most people don’t want to carry two or three different house keys. We can rekey your new lock to match your existing doors so one key opens everything.
Rekeying during installation is cheap — usually $15–$25 extra per lock since we’re already there with the tools out. It’s the kind of small detail that makes a big difference day-to-day.
If you’re upgrading multiple doors at once, we can set up a master key system too. Popular with landlords who own units along Camarillo Street and the multi-family buildings off Oxnard.
Ready to Get That New Door Secured?
If you just had a door installed or you’re planning to, give us a heads-up and we’ll work around your schedule. Our team handles lock installation in North Hollywood every single day — residential, commercial, new construction, renovations, all of it. Browse our full range of North Hollywood locksmith services or just pick up the phone.
Call Locksmith HQ 24/7 at (818) 398-9391 — we’ll get your new door locked up right.
— Locksmith HQ Team
